Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed… 1. That there was a distinction between the significance of the trespass-offerings and that of the sin-offerings is seen in the fact that each kind of offerings had its own specific ritual and set of laws (Leviticus 11:25; Leviticus 7:1). But it is not so easy to point out wherein that distinction lay. They had some points in common. Both recognized sin in some form or other. Though every sin might not be a trespass, yet every trespass was a sin, hence (at least in one case) the trespass was to be atoned for by a sin-offering (Leviticus 5:6). Both of them were for sins of omission and for sins of commission. Both were for inadvertent and for known sins. Both were for sins against conscience and against God. Both were for some sins against property. Both were for open and for secret sins. So that it is not surprising that the two frequently seem to overlap. Still a careful study will help us to draw out some distinctions between them — (1) The sin-offering recognized sinfulness as uncleanness common to the race; the trespass-offering recognized sin in the specific acts of any person among them (cf. Leviticus 5:17 with Leviticus 16:15, 16). (2) The sin-offering regarded all sin; the trespass-offering only some sins (Leviticus 16:34; Leviticus 5:1, 14, 15). (3) The sin-offering was for all the people, recognizing their oneness; the trespass-offering was for distinctive cases, recognizing their individuality (Leviticus 16:21; Leviticus 5:1, 14, 17). (4) The sin-offering conveyed the idea of propitiation; the trespass-offering embodied that of satisfaction, as, over and above its recognition of injury done towards God or man, there were specific injunctions concerning restitution, intimating a certain value as the standard required (Leviticus 16:21, 22; Leviticus 5:18; Numbers 5:5-8). (5) The sin-offering had its aspect God-ward; the trespass-offering rather looked man-ward (Leviticus 4:4-6; Leviticus 14:14). (6) The ritual of the sin-offering symbolized pardon, "covering," the "bearing away" of sin; that of the trespass-offering symbolized purification or cleansing from sin (cf. Leviticus 16:16, 17; Leviticus 14:14). (7) The treatment of the sin-offering indicated far deeper reproach than the treatment of the trespass-offering (Leviticus 4:11, 12; Leviticus 7:6). As the sin that poisons all is far more serious than the transgressions which mark each one, so, on the day of expiation, "the victim, because it was (symbolically) laden with the uncleanness and guilt of the whole people, and was consequently unclean, must be taken outside the camp and there burned"(Delitzsch). (8) The attitude of the sinner in the sin-offering was that of believingly recognizing the sacrifice as his substitute God-ward; but in the case of the trespass-offering he must also be ready with his compensations man-ward (Leviticus 16:20-22; Leviticus 5:16; Leviticus 6:1-7). (9) In the sin-offering the priest is always the representative of the offerer; in the trespass-offering he is generally the representative of God. "Thus the trespass-offering was a restitution or compensation made to God, in being paid to the priest, a payment or penance which made amends for the wrong done — a satisfactio in a disciplinary sense." 2. The prophet in the chapter before us declares that the trespass-offering and the sin-offering will be fulfilled in this Servant of God; that His work for man, towards God in reference to sin, will take into account all the aspects of sin, will honour all the claims of God, and will meet all the need of man. And so, in fact, we find it when we come to examine the representations of the work of our Lord Jesus, as given us in the New Testament. (1) Our Saviour as the sin-offering, "suffered without the gate" (Hebrews 13:11, 12). (2) He atones for sin, and for sins (Hebrews 9:26; Galatians 1:4). (3) He "bears away" a world's sin, yet "gave Himself for our sins" (John 1:29; Galatians 1:4). (4) The sins of all are laid on Him, and yet the individual can say, "He gave Himself for me (1 John 2:2; Galatians 2:20). (5) He is the propitiation, and yet the ransom-price (1 John 4:10; Matthew 20:28). (6) His sacrifice avails towards God, yet is effective towards man (Hebrews 9:12-24; Hebrews 10:10). (7) By His work our guilt is pardoned, our sin covered; through it our natures are cleansed (Romans 4:7, 8; 1 Peter 1:2). (8) As He is our propitiation, there is a reconciliation to be accepted; as He is our ransom-price, our acceptance of Him is attended with repentance towards God, and restitution towards man (Romans 5:8-11; Acts 26:20; Matthew 5:23, 24; Luke 19:7-10). (9) As our mediating High Priest, He is our representative before God. He pleads His blood before the throne; yet is He also the voice of God to us, through whom our pardon is proclaimed (Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:25; Matthew 9:6). Thus all the ground is covered by the one great Sacrifice, and nothing is left undone! 3. Let us learn, then — of the unity there is between the law and the Gospel. We have this prophecy standing seven hundred years after the giving of the one, seven hundred years before the announcement of the other: yet we find the very phrases of the prophet are adopted from the Mosaic ritual, pointing to its fulfilment in the Messiah; while the New Testament teachings as to the work of Christ are based on both ritual and prophecy, carrying them both on to their fulness of meaning, and revealing their wealth of glory. (2) We may well look on with profound reverence as the Most High brings out, in ritual, prophecy, and Gospel, that truth which men are most ready to let slip — viz, the exceeding sinfulness of sin! (3) In Gospel: prophecy, and ritual, there is, in order to meet the world's need, not only a central Figure, but a central fact. In the ritual, the priest and the offering. In the prophecy, the Messiah and His offering. In the Gospel, the Christ and His offering. Here is a threefold cord, "not easily broken."(4) Never let us forget the double aspect of the work of Christ — large enough to cover all the ground; minute enough to point out me and to save me! (5) We are not saved in sin but from it. (6) Let us not fail to catch the keynote of the law and of the Gospel, viz. that nothing is right with a sinful man till relations between him and God are right. (C. Clemance, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. |
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